Should Lalonde be fired?

[CaptainShark]

Honest question, haven’t watched any Wings games, this is just from scoreboard-watching. Wings looked like a playoff-lock a few weeks ago, the underlying numbers suggested that some regression was ahead, but they have absolutely imploded lately.

7 regulation losses in a row, outscored 36-12.

The schedule was tough, but losing to the Coyotes twice in that span is inexplicable to me.

Should Lalonde be fired in an attempt to save the season? Even if he isn’t to blame (which I can’t judge by scoreboard-watching), a coaching change could give the wings the spark needed to turn it around again.

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[Fixed to Ruin]

I'd question the Yzerplan before I'd question the coaching.

 

[CraigBillington]

A team with a younger core that hasn't learned how to win yet isn't going to can their coach 3/4 through his first season.

 

[A1LeafNation]

Detroit did nothing at the deadline. Team didn't get the vote of confidence. This is on Yzerman imo.

 

[Chainshot]

I'd say no. This isn't on the coach.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

A team with a younger core that hasn't learned how to win yet isn't going to can their coach 3/4 through his first season.

This is his second season

 

[BobColesNasalCavity]

Defense is horrific. Goaltending not good. No Larkin.

 

[CaptainShark]

A team with a younger core that hasn't learned how to win yet isn't going to can their coach 3/4 through his first season.

Edit: I demand a recount (sounds less agressiv )

 

[Chainshot]

Defense is horrific. Goaltending not good. No Larkin.

Feels like they need a third good defenseman to augment the Walman-Seider pair and they don't have anyone who can come close to replacing Larkin.

 

[Ezekial]

Uh. No.

16-4-2 before this 7 game losing streak, and now the players are playing like monkeys. The shit they are doing in the d zone on a regular basis is perplexing and Lyon can't stop anything.

 

[deca guard]

john q fan is finding out how good larkin is over these past 7 games , an extremely underrated elite level all around center n leader . aint anybody else on the roster to haul the mail , compher - copp - veleno aint gonna work . not to mention the codger defense and dollar store goalies . in actuality lalonde , and staff , should be respected for getting this roster to a middle of the pack record

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

This isn't Lalonde. If the team couldn't handle Larkin out a couple weeks this roster simply wasn't ready.

 

[ccman68]

why would they fire him right when he’s finally doing his job? detroit making the playoffs does nothing for them. just keep tanking

 

[Bondurant]

There is no reason to scapegoat Newsy. The roster is not ready for clashes with the big boys (or the Yotes).

 

[CraigBillington]

This is his second season

Man, time flies when you get older

 

[Pavels Dog]

Zero chance he is fired.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

He's a bad coach but there's no shot, I'd look at Yzerman first before him as equally as insane as that sounds. Larkin doesn't get hurt and they're at least beating some of these lay up teams they've had in this stretch.

 

[swiftwin]

Is Larkin injured again?

 

[eojsmada]

Lalonde is not to blame.

The team was playing well above what was expected of them. Yzerman never declared them to be ready to compete for the playoffs, just that they play meaningful games later in the season then they did the year before.

This is what the final years of a rebuild looks like. Inconsistency, young players learning how to compete, older players realizing they don't have the energy they used to, and your best future players continuing to develop at lower levels of hockey.

If anything, the year is playing out pretty much how Yzerman and Lalonde figured it might. The players got them this far, and they have played admirably.

Still at least 1-2 more years of this, though. Not enough talent in the system that is ready to make the jump. And there's not enough FA talent, coming up, that will make enough of a difference.

 

[Bozo Nicholson]

Personally, I think he should be fired then rehired as Tampa’s assistant coach.

 

[CaptainShark]

Case closed, Mods, feel free to shut this down. Thanks for the input.

 

[Hockeyfan2390]

Lalonde is not to blame.

The team was playing well above what was expected of them. Yzerman never declared them to be ready to compete for the playoffs, just that they play meaningful games later in the season then they did the year before.

This is what the final years of a rebuild looks like. Inconsistency, young players learning how to compete, older players realizing they don't have the energy they used to, and your best future players continuing to develop at lower levels of hockey.

If anything, the year is playing out pretty much how Yzerman and Lalonde figured it might. The players got them this far, and they have played admirably.

Still at least 1-2 more years of this, though. Not enough talent in the system that is ready to make the jump. And there's not enough FA talent, coming up, that will make enough of a difference.

This is a loser’s take.

If a team isn’t in the playoffs by year 5 of a new GM, it’s not good enough. There isn’t another GM in a serious hockey market that would be allowed to not be in the playoffs by the end of year 5 on the job.

And I don’t care what he inherited from Holland. At some point, it becomes the new guy’s mess.

 

[FinnLightning26]

We'll trade you Blashill for him.

 

[phillyb]

*puts on tin foil hat*
Saw a video somewhere about how they recently (7 games ago) added a jersey ad.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Yes, i think they should.